Choosing the right university can be a challenging decision in a researcher's career. At the University of Graz, this choice is made easier by a unique combination of support systems that foster an environment where both professional and personal growth are encouraged. Researchers in Graz are not left to navigate their academic journey alone. They are supported not only through activities designed to enhance their professional development, but also in less tangible ways: through empathy, thoughtful guidance, tailored resources, and the steady cultivation of a vibrant and inclusive academic culture. One institution that embodies these goals is the Research Career Campus (RCC).
A listicle might not give you the full picture, but here is a glimpse - three ways the RCC helps researchers not just do their work, but truly excel at it.
REASON 1
A Team That Knows and Cares Awaits
At the RCC, you'll find a team of researcher developers who know what it means to be in research, because they've lived it. Each has continued to refine their craft, further professionalising, allowing them to become highly qualified professionals in the field of academic career development. Their work is rooted in a culture of recognition, openness, and academic kindness, where the doors, both physical and virtual, are always open. Above all, they believe in making curiosity your profession, and they infuse that belief into every programme, policy, and conversation.
To put a few names to that dedication: Raphaela Hemet excels in creating and organizing academic career events, managing even the largest international gatherings with precision. Stefanie Lerch-Pesendorfer is committed to transforming institutional structures to better support researchers. Corinne Von der Hellen oversees the details of financial support given to researchers by the RCC, while keeping a pulse on the ever-changing landscape of academia, designing transferable skills programmes with great care. Luzia Straßer, with her international connections through the Arqus European University Alliance, leads WP7 PhD Pursuit, bridging boundaries with a clear and focused vision. Gerald Lind designs strategies to strengthen the RCC's role in empowering researchers and, in his workshops, reveals some well-kept secrets for successful research careers. And at the head of the RCC is Johanna Stadlbauer, whose vision for a kinder, more generous academia shapes everything she does. With insight and eloquence, she leads the conversation on innovative ways to support research careers.
Each member of this team brings expertise, care, and a steadfast commitment to empowering others in their academic journey.
REASON 2
Support That Grows with You
As Johanna and Gerald put it: "Our approach is human-centered - a more holistic perspective. We want our researchers to thrive, not just in their academic careers but also in their broader impact on society." That's why, whether you're beginning your doctoral journey or navigating the complex terrain of mid-career academia, the RCC meets you where you are. Through coaching, mentoring, skill-building workshops, and targeted funding, researchers receive not a one-size-fits-all program - but a companion for each stage of their professional evolution.
University of Graz
Convinced yet?
REASON 3
Activities That Matter: Professionally, Academically, Socially
Researchers have busy schedules. The RCC knows that. That's why every moment, every event, every workshop is crafted with care to be worth your while. And you can feel it:
It's in events like the Pizza Nights or the Fiasco Fest: Academia can be very competitive. But these are moments outside of departments and deadlines, where you talk to someone without trying to outpublish them. A place to start connecting. The first touchpoint of what might become a peer group that understands. And beyond professional exchange, it's often the beginning of trust.
It's in the Writing Retreat: three fully funded days in the countryside. The retreat is guided by someone who's part psychologist, part postdoc, part entrepreneur. A facilitator who knows what this journey feels like. It's where academic work takes shape. And for one international postdoc, it was something else, too: on the first evening, she said she felt, for the first time in academia, a moment of female solidarity that stayed with her long after.
At the RCC, the activities carry weight, meaningful weight. It's that rare blend of career value and well-being. A professional embrace that steadies you for today and, surely, prepares you to work for tomorrow.
For more than a decade, the University of Graz has supported researchers at different stages of their careers. Through the Doctoral Academy and the PostDoc Office, it has provided structure, guidance, and stability in the dynamic world of academia. These services have helped researchers develop their skills, gain confidence, and advance their career paths.
But something new is unfolding. On the 1st of April, 2025, a door opened, to mark the beginning of a new chapter. What once existed as separates has joint forces, under a new name: the Research Careers Campus. A place where you are empowered to grow as a researcher and as a person.